Patna: A 14-year-old Dalit boy was beaten to death in Bihar's Samastipur district by an orchard owner who saw him collecting dry wood from his orchard without permission, police officials said.

Sharvan Paswan, a resident of Tahbalpur village under Lodipur police station jurisdiction in Samastipur, about 80 km from here, was beaten to death Thursday for collecting wood from the orchard of Pappu Mandal.

The victim's elder brother Vakil Paswan has filed a police complaint.

Police official Umeshwar Jha said a first information report (FIR) under Section 302 (punishment for murder) was lodged against Mandal on the basis of Vakil's statement.

"Police raided Mandal's house but he is absconding, along with his family," Jha said.

According to Vijay Kumar, another police official, Paswan was called by Mandal when he saw him gathering some dry sticks from his orchard.

Mandal beat Paswan mercilessly, and Paswan's aunt rushed to help him on hearing his cries. Vijay Kumar said the aunt was also attacked with a sharp weapon. Mandal works in a bank in neighbouring Banka district.